DAVIS, Calif. -Austin March hit his first career home run in the eighth inning but it wasn't enough, as the UC Davis baseball team fell, 10-5, to UC Santa Barbara on Thursday afternoon in the opening game of a Big West Conference series at Dobbins Stadium.

The Aggies (19-35, 5-20 Big West) tallied five runs on nine hits with three errors while the Gauchos (32-23, 15-10) posted 10 runs on 14 hits with no errors.

UC Santa Barbara starting pitcher Austin Pettibone (9-3) picked up the win after allowing four runs on seven hits in eight innings with no walks and four strikeouts. The right-hander faced the minimum through three innings and allowed just one run on three hits through the first seven innings.

The Aggies struck for three runs on four hits in the eighth, including March's two-run, two-out, pinch-hit blast to right.

After a strikeout, catcher Spencer Brann singled to left. He advanced to second on a ground out. That brought on March, who crushed a no-doubter on a 2-1 count over the fence in right. Tanner Bily followed with a single up the middle and stole second. He scored when third baseman Paul Politi ripped a single to left.

Politi scored the Aggies' first run of the game in the fourth, when second baseman Steven Patterson singled him in from second.

UC Davis starting pitcher Harry Stanwyck (4-8) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits in six innings with two walks and one strikeout.

UC Santa Barbara was paced at the plate by second baseman Woody Woodward, who went 4-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. The Gauchos saw six others tally at least one hit.

The Aggies and Gauchos will meet for game two at 2:30 p.m. on Friday before closing out the series and the 2013 season at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Aggies will honor their five seniors prior to Saturday's game.